Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Volume 3 - Part 3

                 Solution by Phil Reynolds

@~Continued from Issue 47

THE THAMES MURDERS

In this case your assistance is requested to solve five murders,
the bodies all being found on the bank of the Thames at Southall,
this at first being the only thing linking the murders. It would
be a good idea if first we tried to gain some further information
about the victims.  So send the Baker Street Irregulars to see
Inspector Lestrade, Sir Jasper Meeks and HR Murry, you will learn
from the information that they bring back that the first victim
Nathan Revell was killed by a large calibre gun probably a Mauser
T11 and that his pocket contained a suicide note in which he
confessed to embezzling from his employer's Lindsey & Co. and that
he wished to return his ill-gotten gains. The second victim Cyril
Maude was killed by a stiletto knife and had a small pepperbox gun
on his person. The third victim Charles Attard was a barrister and
was killed with a Mauser T11. The fourth victim Leo Shepard was
killed by a French gun but had been previously wounded by another
small calibre gun. The last victim Roland Jaquard was beaten to
death.

Let us first check into the murder of the first victim Nathan
Revell, a visit to Lindsey & Co. reveals that he had in fact
embezzled a large amount of securities from the firm and a
visit to his home reveals that there was a break in there on
the night of his murder. So we can safely assume that whoever
killed him was after the securities and must have known he had
them so we can safely assume that Revell had embezzled the
securities on someone else's orders and had got cold feet, but was
killed before he could return the securities. A visit to Jeffery
Faber the other partner also reveals that Charles Attard was
Revell's likely accomplice in the embezzlement as he could supply
Revell with the account numbers.  Now we should check out the
second victim Cyril Maude, we already know that Maude had a
criminal record from Lestrade's report, so a visit to Millbank
Prison is now in order. We find out that whilst in prison he was
friendly with a Curtis Twiggs, a visit to Disraeli O'Brien
confirms that Maude and Twiggs were accomplices in a number of
criminal acts. Now go and visit Porky Shinwell as he is a useful
source of information on the criminal classes.  Porky reveals that
Leo Shepard the third victim was in fact Curtis Twiggs and that he
and Maude were met by a Sebastian Moran on the night of Revell's
murder after which Maude was seen checking his pistol before
leaving in a hurry with Twiggs. A check at Maude's rooms reveals a
quantity of Mauser T11 ammunition. This now suggests that Maude is
the killer of Revell under the instructions of Sebastian Moran,
who if we check Holmes' files was a henchman of Moriaty.

So we now know that Maude killed Revell to get the securities
under Moran's orders. A visit to Twiggs' rooms, reveals Charles
Attard's watch and wallet, Revell's wallet and a stiletto. So we
can safely assume that Twiggs killed both Maude as he was killed
with a stiletto and Attard as Twiggs has his wallet and watch. The
probable motive for killing Maude was so that he could keep the
securities himself, but why kill Attard and who killed Twiggs? We
will now check out Charles Attard as he was a barrister, who
better to ask than Edward Hall, he will inform us that Attard
worked for Moriaty and so probably for Moran. This with his link
to Revell probably means that Attard was sent after Twiggs by
Moran to get the securities back and was killed by Twiggs when he
shot and wounded Twiggs during his attempt. So that's three of the
murders sorted out with the motives for them but we still don't
know who killed Twiggs, but as he no longer had the securities it
is most likely he was killed to get them.

The next victim Roland Jaquard is next to be checked out, a visit
to his rooms reveals a Mauser T11, the gun that killed Revell and
Attard, and a French revolver, the probable murder weapon used to
kill Twiggs. All we need to do now is prove a connection between
Jaquard and Moran and we have our motive. In Jaquard's room we
also found a membership card to the Bagatelle Club and a flyer for
the Elephant & Castle, let's visit the Bagatelle Club first.

At the club we learn that indeed Jaquard knew both Revell and
Moran as he used to play cards with them, we also learn that Moran
also used the Tankerville Club so a visit there might also be in
order. At the Tankerville Club we learn that Jaquard also used the
club and was seen with Kathleen Lindsey the wife of the ex Lindsey
& Co.  partner. He was also seen with Moran there on the evening
of Twiggs' murder and that he left hurriedly after conversing with
Moran. So it now safe to assume that Jaquard killed Twiggs under
orders from Moran to retrieve the securities. We now just need to
find out who killed Jaquard and why.

A visit to Jaquard's nosy neighbour Bettina Ivory tells us that
the missing rug from Jaquard's room was carried out by two men and
loaded on a wagon carrying the name Landmark Ltd, the rug probably
concealed Jaquard's body so a visit to Landmark Ltd is in order.
There we learn that the wagon was driven by one Juan Escobedo and
a visit to him reveals that it was his brother Marco who killed
Jaquard.  We now only need the motive for this murder.  Visit the
Elephant & Castle and here you will be told that both Jaquard was
seeing a Lottia Garcia who was loved by Marco Escobedo, a prize
fighter. So we know that Jaquard was killed by Escobedo out of

jealousy. We now have all the evidence so it is time to go to the
judge.

Q: Who killed Nathan Revell?
A: Cyril Maude.
Q: Why?
A: Under instructions from Sebastian Moran.
Q: Who killed Cyril Maude?
A: Curtis Twiggs.
Q: Why?
A: To take the securities for himself.
Q: Who killed Charles Attard?
A: Curtis Twiggs.
Q: Why?
A: In self defence.
Q: Who killed Roland Jaquard?
A: Marco Escobedo
Q: Why?
A: Out of jealousy over Lottia Garcia.
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